My Angel
by Life Could be A Dream
Summary: A series of drabbles and one shots based on the before, during, and after of Carol and Therese's relationship as it is established in the story. Movie and book mashup! Currently taking any and all prompts.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note:

A series of drabbles and one-shots about Therese and Carol's relationship. PLEASE SUBMIT REQUESTS AND PROMPTS! I love writing for others, and I'm using this as a sort of practice as I go into the writing industry. That said, please give feedback!

These drabbles and one-shots will mostly be fluff, angst, and hurt/comfort, though some family will work its way in, and if you guys are reallly good, I'll toss in some M-rated gems for good measure, but there'll always be a warning in the author's note before hand.

So without further ado, the first chapter!

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1\. In which Therese takes Carol ice skating.

Christmas was in the air. Before Carol Aird had met Therese Belevit, the best thing that had ever happened to her, Christmas had been the gloomiest time of year. With no family or friends to talk to besides Rindy (for thirty minutes on the telephone, to be exact), Carol was completely alone in the world and had no one to share as much as a "season's greetings!" with. But with a quick glance at the corner of the apartment living room, taking in the beautiful glowing Christmas tree that the two women had decorated together between sips of champagne and messy kisses, Carol was sure that things were starting to change for the better, and for good.

Just at that moment, the best thing that ever happened to Carol decided to come waltzing in through the door. She looked up, not surprised at all. The little clock face on her wrist read 4 o'clock, just exactly the time Therese usually came home after work, brandishing some treat or new book or old record in her hand as a surprise for her beloved.

As Carol greeted her at the door with a kiss on the cheek, she WAS, however, surprised at what she found in Therese's hands today:

Ice skates.

Two pairs, to be exact. Carol looked down at the shorter woman, seeing her face for the first time. Therese had a wide grin stretched from ear to ear, and there was a soft twinkle behind her eyes that Carol had never seen before. It was mischief.

"Well, well," Carol murmured as she stepped aside to allow Therese in, deciding to keep her calm. The more collected she was in front of others, the stronger she felt. "What's this?"

"Well," Therese said, setting the skates onto the kitchen counter and shutting the door with her foot. "You always tell me that you've never gone skating every time we pass the lake in the Park. I just assumed maybe you'd like to-"

"Dearest, there's a reason I've never gone skating," Carol interrupted, shaking blond, bouncey curls out of her eyes. "It's dangerous, impractical, and for children."

"Oh, Carol, don't be so silly. I love skating."

"And I would be happy to go to the park and watch you skate," Carol said with a kiss to Therese's forehead. "But I will not skate. And please, wear padding, would you?"

Thirty minutes later, with a bag packed full of padding and a first-aid kit (which Carol had demanded), the couple was stepping off the elevator of their apartment complex and wandering into the very busy, very snowy streets of New York. Carol discreetly took Therese's hand in her own and gently put their hands into her right coat pocket. The brunette suddenly felt much warmer with Carol's thumb gentlly running across her own, something they could never do in public if their hands weren't hidden.

"Shall I hail a cab?" Carol asked, looking at Therese's teeth chatter. She herself was warm in her beloved fur coat, and they were only a few blocks from the park, but Therese looked rather miserable.

"No," the smaller girl insisted. "I can manage. Let's just walk quicker, okay?"

They walked as fast as Therese's feet could go, although Carol could've walked faster, her long legs in consideration. Regardless, they eventually arrived to the lake in the Park.

Carol shook her head. If Therese was cold now, how would she fair in a clearing with no trees to block the wind and the cold air whisteling even faster about her?

"Carol," Therese stuttered, teeth still chattering. "I need you to skate with me. I'm too cold to be alone."

Carol's eyes widened and panic set in. She swore she never would again, after that terrifying experiencce with Rindy...

But she swallowed and simply shook her head.

"Darling, if you're this cold, then let's just go back home, alright? You'll only become colder skating around, and I'm not... I've never... listen, we haven't even the other pair of skates for me."

Therese smiled a cock-eyed grin as she dipped her hand into the bag Carol had insisted upon and pulled out the other pair of skates. Carol glared.

"Cheater."

Therese resisted the urge to reach up and give Carol a peck on the cheek that said "I'm sorry, but I'm not really that sorry at all."

"Please, Carol, please!"

Carol swallowed once more, looking at the skates dangling from the laces in Therese's hand. They looked so ominous, as if you were whisking yourself through time and space on knives. What part of that wasn't terrifying?

But then her eyes flickered from Therese's hand to her eyes, pleading and sad. Her teeth chattered. She was cold, she was lonely, and goddammit, she wanted to skate. So Carol took the skates. Therese looked overjoyed.

"Oh, Carol, you're going to love it!"

Carol huffed, pulling on the skates and tightening the laces until she could hardly feel her feet. She tied them with sailor knots, something she'd learned from her first husband (the one who had been in the navy during WW II), and triple-knotted them for good measure.

Therese, meanwhile, looked very amused as Carol attempted to stand and proceeded to stagger about the ground, trying to reach the lake. Carol shot her another glare.

"Oh, DO shut up."

"I'm sorry, Carol, it's just... well, you look so..."

"Choose, carefully, darling, or you're sleeping on the couch."

"...beautiful."

Carol knew this was a lie, so she didn't act flattered, even though she was. Instead, she rolled her eyes and glanced down at Therese's feet. The skates were gently laced and tied with little elegant bows. Carol was appalled. Her own skates' ties were clumpy and ugly.

"It doesn't matter what they look like, silly," Therese said, reading her mind. "Come on, let's go."

Carol fell onto her back two seconds after stepping onto the rink, and Therese had to dodge out of the way of Carol's flailing arms to keep from going down with her. As she hovered over the older woman, Carol noticed something - Therese's teeth weren't chattering at all! Nor was she shivering or running her hands up and down her arms.

"Why, darling, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you set me up," Carol remarked as the younger girl helped her up.

"It's hard to get you to do what I want," Therese responded with a shrug.

Carol advanced towards her, breath warm and soothing against Therese's cold skin, and whispered, "not that hard."

Therese shuddered, and Carol was about to take off again, until she fell for a second time. Therese let her head back and laughed a real, hearty laugh as she helped up her love, and mumured "oh, Carol. That was almost sexy."

Twenty falls, two bruises, and a handful of dirty whispers later, the two women were making their way back home, Carol relieved to actually feel her feet on the ground once more. As they finally stepped into their apartment, Therese turned to the woman by her side.

"Carol, why were you so scared of skating?"

Carol sighed. She'd been waiting for this question for a while now. But Therese was going to hear it sooner or later, so she sighed and prepared her answer.

"Well, when Rindy was three, all she wanted for Christmas was a new pair of ice skates. She was a very advanced girl for her age, she still is."

Therese nodded, agreeing, and wanting Carol to know she was listening. Carol continued.

"Harge was terrified of the idea, but I was thrilled. When I was younger, I used to dance, and I figured Rindy learning to figure skate could be another way for us to bond. I immediately went out to Frankenberg's and bought her the most expensive, beautiful pair I could find. I was too excited to wait until Christmas and I gave it to her as soon as I got home. She was thrilled, of course, and Harge was furious. Just another rift in our marriage that would lead to...

"Anyway, she practiced on them non-stop for the two weeks leading up to Christmas. Then Christmas day came and she opened all of her presents. I think she was hoping for another pair to match her other outfits, perhaps. Regardless, she liked her presents well enough, but they weren't enough to compete with her beloved skates."

Therese took Carol's hand, noticing her voice was sticking and her eyes glossing over as if she was about to cry. Carol never cried.

"While Harge and I were... well, Therese, it was Christmas and we'd both had too much to drink, and we were married, after all. Anyway, we were occupied, and neither of us noticed Rindy leave. We'd left her on her own, what fools we were. She ran outside with her new skates to practice some more on the lake very near to our house. I mean near, we could practically see it from our house. So dinner came, and we went to the dining table as Eyvette was serving our plates, and we noticed Rindy was gone. It took us two hours to even realize that our baby was gone. After a brief search of the house, we both ran out the door, realizing there was only one place she could be. Harge tripped on a tree branch and sprained his ankle, but I hardly even looked down. I was getting close. And then, there I was, and in the middle of the lake, there was Rindy. The ice had broken under her. She couldn't swim, the skates were weighing her down, and it was freezing. It looked like she'd been in the water screaming like that for something like ten minutes. I eventually got to her, fell in myself in the process, and had to be pulled out by our butler, who had come to our rescue when none of us came home. I caught a cold, but Rindy caught the flu and nearly died. I suppose... I mean, I guess that's why I don't like skating. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's associated with some not-so-good things in my memories."

Therese swallowed, not really sure what to say. She was really at a loss for words. So she kissed Carol's hand.

"I'm sorry, Carol, I didn't mean to make you do something you really didn't want to."

"It's alright, Therese, you didn't know," said the blonde. "And now the prospect only terrifies me a little, as opposed to, say, a whole lot."

Therese giggled, but only because Carol was smiling and because she wanted to lighten the mood.

"And Rindy's fine," Carol added. "She obviously got better, although I never let her skate again. Perhaps I should, though, come to think of it. What do you say we get her a knew pair of skates for Christmas?"

"Sure, if you'd like to face the wrath of Harge," Therese responded, a smile creeping at the corners of her lips. And that was enough to break the tension in Carol. She tossed her head back and released a genuine laugh, her blonde curls dangling down her back. Therese smiled, liking to see her this way. Once Carol was done, she took Therese's hand, kissed it, and pulled the younger girl close to her chest.

"My angel. Ever the clever thinker. What shall we do for Christmas?"

Therese smirked, pulling away and cocking her head to one side.

"I can think of a few things."

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Please review! Please give prompts! I will respond to and and all prompts ^-^


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: You guyssss! Thank you for the reviews! I'm pretty new to the real world of fanfic writing, so I'm excited that this is being received pretty well so far. Please keep reviewing, and keep sending prompts! Thanks to mycabbages176 for this chapter's prompt ^-^ I promise to respond to every prompt, even though school is about to start for me; I love the practice and (somewhat masochistically) enjoy getting used to heavy workloads.

And, as I said before, feel free to give feedback on the writing itself! (Also, in case you didn't assume already, these shorts aren't in any particular order and follow no storyline, and what's true in one drabble may not be true in another!)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Price of Salt, the film Carol, or the characters used in this fic (obviously!).

Rating warning: This chapter is rated M for language.

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2\. In which Carol discovers the truth of Therese's childhood

They stood on the balcony of their little apartment. It had sort of become their own - despite the fact that it was a public place, they only ever went up there in the very early hours of the morning, and the only people crazy enough to be awake then were the people who had crazy early-morning jobs. So, for the most part, it was just Therese and Carol, Carol and Therese.

The leaves had started to fall earlier that day. Truth be told, Therese was disappointed. She thrived in the warm weather, and as a natural introvert, the coldness caused her to shrivel into herself, both physically and mentally, even further. Carol, on the other hand, had scanned the trees, as if first realizing their leaves were oranging, watched the leaves fall, and grinned a grin that put the goofy political cartoons and caricatures on page twenty of the New York Times to utter shame.

Back on the balcony, the night sky bright from all the city light, Therese looked over to see a tall, beautiful blonde still wearing that same smile, only this time, that tall, beautiful blonde was looking at Therese, not some oranging leaves on the verge of falling to the ground from their mother branches. Therese returned a gentle smile, cocking her head to the right as if begging the question, "what are you smiling about, silly?"

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Carol asked, attention returning to the trees, this time eighteen stories below them. The question Therese mentally asked hadn't gone unnoticed, Carol simply decided not to acknowledge it.

"I can think of much more beautiful things," Therese shrugged, gaze following the woman to her right's.

Carol, smirking, stepped closer to Therese and looked at the shorter woman.

"What sort of things would you have in mind, Miss Belevit?"

"Oh, Carol," Therese giggled. "Who ever said I was referring to you?"

Therese stepped away and Carol's brow furrowed. The younger girl had gotten cockier, bolder, sassier between the time they met and the current point in their relationship. Too many visists, with Abby, she supposed, mentally chuckling.

Carol's eyes darted up to see what Therese was doing now, not at all surprised to find the younger woman's gaze resting on her. These small waves, ripples, really, of cockiness, were almost immediately followed by Therese searching Carol, reading her body language, her eyes, to see if she'd crossed the line and said something to hurt Carol's feelings or anger her. Carol always laughed, because of course nothing Therese said could possibly have that effect. The only thing she feared coming out of Therese's mouth was nothing at all. She feared Therese's silence, because silence meant that Therese had stopped caring.

So Carol gently smiled, reassuring her, and Therese did, too, and that was that.

And then a cool gust of air hit. Carol wore a long sleeved shirt and a pair of pants swiped from one of the pantsuits hanging in her closet, so she felt hardly anything, but Therese, who was wearing a short-sleeved dress that came down to her knees, shuddered slightly.

"Come along, darling," Carol said, her hand falling to the small of Therese's back and gently nudging her towards the door that lead them back inside.

Therese followed the gentle push of Carol's hand. She liked the way she was in front of the older woman, making her feel like she was in control, but the way Carol's hand directed Therese where to go, showing that the former was, in fact, the one in charge. She knew Carol did this on purpose. In another relationship, after gaining her newfound confidence from working at the Times, Therese might've been the dominant one in a relationship with another woman, and she certainly had some tendencies, Carol had come to know. But in a relationship with Carol Aird, man or woman, she was the one in charge, and that was just the way it was.

They finally reached their apartment (of course it was on the top floor, Carol had insisted when she bought the place) and stepped inside.

Carol popped off her heels and made her way over to the couch, sitting down and releasing a sigh. Therese was confused. It was nearly two in the morning, was it not time for bed?

"Carol, aren't you tired?"

"But of course, darling."

Therese shrugged. "You're not headed to bed."

"Well," Carol challenged jovially, "neither are you."

Therese shook her head, took Carol's hand in her own, and pulled her to her feet. They ended up just a few inches apart. Therese hadn't meant for that to happen, but it had, and her breath quickened a little.

"Why, hello, Miss Belevit," Carol smiled, noticing the sudden change in Therese's breathing. "Can I help you?"

"As a matter of fact, you can," Therese responded, gripping Carol's collar and tugging her into her, their lips gently colliding. Carol grinned against her beloved's lips. She'd never let on, but she liked these rare occasions where Therese took control. She supposed she wouldn't if they were constant, but she certainly didn't mind sitting back and letting these pleasant moments happen every once in a while.

Her hand once more found the small of Therese's back, but this time, instead of pushing her away, she crushed the younger woman's body into her own, lips parting gently to deepen the kiss. She allowed her own tongue to gently flick out and trace Therese's lips, and then she quickly retracted and pulled away alltogether.

She liked Therese to take control, but she'd always remind her who was really in charge.

"Still ready for bed?" Carol asked cheekily, slipping past the shorter woman, who was groaning in frustration, and stepping into the bedroom, closely followed by a grumbling Therese.

After a quick shower (which Therese did not join her in, probably her way of "punishing" her), Carol returned to the bedroom to find Therese had already drifted off to sleep. She smiled, climbed into bed next to her, and pulled the covers over both of them. Her eyes slid shut and she felt sleep consume her faster than she'd thought it would.

Carol's eyes were flying open again much sooner than she'd had in mind. It took her a moment to realize what had woken her up, but once it had registered, she sprung into action.

Therese was crying.

In her sleep, very, very gently. She made no movements and very little sound. Her hand fell to Therese's cheek and gently (but forcefully) caressed it, hoping this would wake her. Therese's head moved slightly out of the way and Carol sighed. Her other hand found Therese's second cheek and she held her face, rubbing her thumbs across the gentle little hills that were Therese's cheekbones. Therese did not budge. Carol finally decided it was time to speak.

"Darling, wake up, you're only dreaming."

Therese was starting to murmur and toss her head about, and Carol suddenly felt as if the whole world's wellbeing depended on her ability to wake the dreaming girl.

"Darling, would you... oh, for goodness's sake. Therese. Therese, please, wake up. Wake... wake up!"

Therese's eyes popped opened. Her mouth was still agape from a particularly long whimper and she shut it, looking up at Carol.

"I'm sorry, Carol," Therese muttered after opening and closing her mouth a few times, looking up into the concerned pair of icy grey eyes. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."

And just like that, Therese rolled over.

Carol was dumbstruck. She was sorry? What was she going on about? And was she not wanting to talk about her terrible dream?

"Therese, dear," Carol soothed, her fingers slipping into the hair at the back of Therese's head. Therese said nothing, but Carol felt her lean into her hand, showing she was listening and also that she was grateful for the comfort.

"Therese, what happened?"

"Nothing," Therese mumbled, but she wriggled backwards until her back was resting against Carol's front. Carol's right arm propped her own head up and her left arm wrapped protectively around her younger counterpart.

"That nothing sounded like a whole lot of something," Carol continued, still playing with Therese's hair.

"Carol, we have work tomorrow. Can we please just go to bed?"

"If that's what you want."

Therese turned around in Carol's arms and looked at the latter. Her green eyes pleaded that Carol not bring it up again, and Carol decided to follow her request.

For tonight, anyway.

Therese leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to Carol's lips, for once catching the older woman by surprise. It was too deep to be a casual kiss but too chaste to be the start of something bigger. Therese just wanted to kiss her, as she often did.

Carol returned the kiss with equal energy. She wouldn't simply let Therese kiss her and not do anything in return, but she also wasn't deepening it. Therese was hurting, and not only, but she needed sleep. So the blonde was the first to pull away. But when wasn't she?

"Sleep, darling," Carol said in a lower voice than usual, the one she used when she'd just been asleep or was extremely exhausted. Therese snuggled into her, head finding her chest, and let her eyes close. Carol, on the other hand, wouldn't sleep again that night.

Therese was awake as soon as dawn began to break. Looking at her bedside clock, she read it was only 6:15, but she was ready to be up. She started to gently wriggle out of Carol's arms and slip away so as not to wake her, but as soon as she was standing, an elegant hand had caught her wrist with a grip too strong for the owner to have just been asleep. Therese turned to look at Carol.

"Were you not able to go back to sleep?" she asked.

Carol sighed, hand loosening on Therese's wrist, but still tugging her back down to the bed to give her a good-morning-kiss.

"No, darling, but never you mind. Shall we get ready for work?"

Therese nodded, though she started at 8:00 and Carol at 9:00, and they went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Carol opened the can of oats while Therese put a kettle on the stove. She put her hands on the oven door handle, head bowing and brow furrowing as if she was in pain. Anyone who knew her less than Carol would have thought the pain was physical, but Carol knew much better than anyone what kind of pain it was.

Slender arms wrapped around Therese's petite waist and a sharp (but gentle) chin rested upon the muscles between her shoulder and neck. Carol huffed, pressing her head to the other girls', and Therese's gaze didn't shift.

"Therese, I want you to tell me what you were dreaming about."

"Someday, Carol, I promise-"

"Therese. Now."

"Later."

"Now."

Therese turned her head and captured Carol's lips in her own, her hands cupping the taller woman's face and gently, continuously pulling her down to her level. Carol pulled away, frustrated.

"Later."

Before Therese left for work, Carol pressed a kiss to her cheek and wrapped her arms around her, breathing in the smell of her auburn hair.

"I made a reservation for us at the Waldorf tonight for dinner," Carol said, pulling away and tucking a strand of Therese's hair behind her ear. "I know you aren't ready, but I'll be here when you are. Okay?"

Therese nodded in thanks, pressed yet another kiss to Carol's lips, and slipped out the door.

All day long at the office, Carol couldn't think. She was one of the first women in New York City to own her own business, a Christmas gift from Harge's rich family who were probably just trying to win her back. She didn't budge, but of course graciously accepted the company. It was small, the manufacturer of little girls' aprons, but it was big enough to give her a few million a year, and to give her a name in the papers that the people would reccognize.

Still, she was of no help to the workforce today. Phones rang and she was too distracted to answer them. People asked questions and she was too numb to form coherent sentences. Lunch came and she was too distracted to eat. Finally, Abby came in, whom she'd appointed CEO (though it hadn't technically been her place to do so) and took over for her best friend. Carol smiled a vote of thanks as she exited her office, took the elevator downstairs, and rushed out quickly into the streets of New York.

The air was cool, of coruse, it was fall, and she couldn't have been more grateful. If it had been as warm as it'd been in that office, she might have vomited. She took nearly a half dozen gulps of the fresh air (or, as fresh as New York air could be) and pressed her hand to her forehead. She couldn't go home, she'd be too worried about Therese. So she did the only logical thing she could think of.

She went to Therese's work.

The Majestic Theatre was located at 245 West 44th street. Carol had the address memeorized - her mother had taken her to see Broadway plays when she was younger - but she especially loved the theatre now that it was Therese's workspace.

'Me and Juliet,' that was the name of the play they were staging. Therese was sitting in the fifth row of the mezzinine, making notes probably on the half-built set on stage. An actress was holding another actor's face and bringing him in for a kiss. Therese stopped taking her note long enough to smile at the action, and Carol smiled at Therese. But she cleared her throat, and Therese looked over. Carol, who was hidden in darkness and behind a railing of the mezzinine stairs, wasn't completely visible to Therese, so the younger girl bristled.

"Pardon me, you can't be up here, ma'am," Therese said.

"That's the same voice you used on me when you told me not to smoke in Frankenberg's," Carol chuckled, stepping closer. Therese looked relieved.

"You really should be more assertive, dear."

"Carol, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I couldn't stay away," Carol said with a hint of mischief playing at her voice, making her reason for coming to Therese sound like a sexual desire as opposed to a fear for her wellbeing. If Therese caught on, she didn't show it.

"You could stay here and sit next to me while I work," Therese offered, and Carol nodded, thanking her for not asking further questions.

So stay Carol did. She went back and forth between watching the actors work to watching the director stop them and shout to watching Therese scribble furiously on a notepad. She smiled, eyes scanning the brunette's face.

Suddenly, the director's shout was directed toward the entire house, not just the stage, and Carol jumped.

"Take five!" he shouted.

Carol saw five or six men and women get up from the orchestra section and make their way toward the back of the theatre to pop a cigarette. They were the people, she assumed, that were writing notes like Therese was, only on things like costumes and hair and makeup.

"So," Carol started as Therese leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Why do you sit all the way up here instead of all the way down there with the rest?"

"It helps me focus," Therese explained. "Plus the distance helps me see what audience members from up here will be seeing. Sometimes I sit down there so I can tackle the detail aspects. It depends on the day."

Carol nodded, resisting the urge to pop in another cigarette.

"You realize," she asked, "that this is the first time I've come to visit you at work?"

"This is my first real work," Therese responded with a chuckle. "Anyway, I'd say I've done all I need to as far as notes go, would you be alright with going home now? It's only thirty minutes earlier then when I usually leave."

"If mademoiselle would be so inclined," Carol responded, a playfull smile playing at her lips. They rose to their feet, but before Carol could walk away towards the door, Therese grabbed her wrist.

"I love you, Carol," Therese whispered, so quietly that Carol could hardly hear.

Carol closed the space between them and kissed Therese's lips. Therese let out a soft sound of surprise, but it didn't seem to last long. All of Carol's fears, the fear of Therese leaving, the fear of Therese not loving her, the fear of losing Therese to whatever was haunting her nightmares, all of this was muted for just a moment as Carol poured all her her love into the kiss she shared with her beloved. She slid her hands up and down Therese's sides, she silpped her hands into her short hair, she gripped her hips and pressed them as close to her own as she could without breaking their bones, and she loved her. That was all Carol could think. 'I love you.'

A kiss to Therese's jawbone.

'I love you.'

A gentle tug at Therese's hair.

'I love you.'

Arms wrapping around her tiny little waist.

'I love you, I love you, I love you.'

And then she pulled apart. And as if she hadn't said it enough times already in the kiss, she spoke now.

"I love you."

Dinner was quiet. Carol ordered a Waldorf salad and Therese got the soup de jour, both tiny dishes but very delicious. They spoke lightly, as if it were their very first conversation, and spent most of their time sipping at the dry martinis they kept ordering. Therese wasn't drunk, she was hardly even tipsy, but Carol knew she'd had one too many to be thinking neccesarily straight.

Just as they were beginning to leave, Caro heard an unfamiliar voice call out a quite familiar name.

"Therese!"

Carol was about to turn and look in the direction the voice had come from, but Therese's head did not turn. Instead, her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. She still did not turn her head as a man walked swiftly towards them. Carol bristled. She'd hit a man before while protecting herself and Rindy once when they were walking alone at night, and she was ready to do it again.

"Therese," he continued, almost right next to them finally.

"Therese, we need to talk."

"Well," Therese said, her head still not turning but her eyes a little less full of hatred. "You've some fucking nerve coming down here, Billy."

'Billy,' Carol thought. 'Who is Billy?'

"Therese-"

"Here's how this is going to go down," Therese interrupted, finally turning to the man. It was then that Carol recognized a striking resemblence between the two. The same green eyes, the same auburn locks, the same youthfulness and yet wisdom in their faces...

"You're going to walk out that door," Therese continued, pointing to the exit, "and you're never going to speak to me again. Just like you promised ten years ago. And if you do try to contact me, by God, I hope you've got a hospital nearby, for your sake."

"Therese, I didn't come here for you," Jack stated, aggrivated.

"Then why'd you-"

"Mother's dead."

Carol was floored. Mother? This man, this Billy, he was Therese's brother? She thought she didn't have any family besides the woman that had left her at such a young age...

Suddenly, however, she realized again what Billy had said. 'Mother's dead.' Carol immediately felt a need to comfort Therese, but the latter harldy looked shaken at all.

"It's better this way," Therese gritted out. "You don't have to worry about her."

She turned to walk away, but Billy caught her arm.

"Therese, don't you care?"

"No, Billy, I don't!" Therese shouted. A few neighboring tables looked over in annoyance. "I don't care that the woman who left me just two months after my father died, took my brother with her, and dropped me off at an orphanage, is dead!"

"Therese, you know she couldn't have taken care of both of us-"

"But of course she takes the one with practical dreams," Therese spat. "With an actual career focus. With a goddamn penis-"

"Enough!" Billy interrupted. "I don't want to talk about it. I'll never bother you again. I just was told to give you this."

He handed her a leather pouch and stepped back, as if fearing she may lash out at him with talons and fangs dripping in blood.

Therese observed it. It was the size of a large shipping envelope, and built like one, too, but it was made of cowhide and held together with a metal button.

"It's from her," he said.

"Oh, how very thoughtful," Therese spat, throwing the envelope back into her brother's hands. "Well you tell her gravestone I don't fucking want it. Don't ever come to new York City again, Billy."

And with that, Therese rounded the corner and headed towards the direction of the elevators. Carol stood, useless, watching her go. Then she turned to Billy, who stood in just as much helplessness as she.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Billy apologized. Carol didn't think he was a bad man. She wondered if Therese only hated him because their mother picked him over her.

"I'm sorry you had to experience it."

Billy nodded.

"Forgive me, how do you know my sister?"

Carol's mind flashed back to Harge storming towards Therese, standing in her old living room, and asking quite a similar question. Her answer was different than Therese's had been that day.

With enough of a hushed tone so that the nearest people would not hear but with an undeniable confidence, Carol answered.

"We're lovers."

Billy only looked slightly surprised. He nodded, looked to the ground, and mumbled something. Carol didn't hear.

"What was that?"

"I said, 'damn shame, I would'a asked you out on a date.'"

Carol chuckled. "Better luck next time."

"Will you... will you give this to her?" he asked, extending the envelope towards her. Carol sighed and nodded, taking the leather pouch from his hands.

"And," he added, extending his hand with an object in it once more, "could you keep my updated on her? Good and bad? She doesn't want me to be a part of her life, but I'd like to at least know what's going on."

Carol took the paper in his hand and opened it. It read 'William Belevit 898 4028.' She cleared her throat and nodded.

"I'll call you every month and let you know how everything's going."

"Much obliged, ma'am. And... it'd be best if Terri didn't know about this arrangement."

Carol nodded. "Yes, it would. Good evening, Mr. Belevit."

Billy tipped his hat.

"Evening Miss..."

"Aird. Carol Aird."

Billy nodded.

"Evening, Miss Aird. Keep my sister safe."

And then he left.

Carol walked towards the benches near the elevators. Therese had obviously already gone up to the apartment, so Carol sank into the closest wooden seat and looked at the envelope. If there was something that could trigger Therese in this, she should know before giving it to her. So she snapped open the metal clasp and button and pulled the flap over to see the contents.

Pictures. $50. And a letter.

Carol picked it up to read it.

'My dearest Therese,

I love you so. How I've wanted to tell you all these years, but how could I? You'd never speak to me.

You should know that the decision to keep your brother and give you up was not mine. William and I were kidnapped one night as we were coming home from the department store. It was an old friend of your father's, one of the nasty kind that he got involved with at college. He took us to an illegal underground club in New Jersey. We were there for two years, forced to fill glasses and serve peanuts to strangers. The men took me when they liked, and tried to teach your brother the trick of the trade. I don't know what the trade was, but they were mean people. Evil people. Once the police came and shut down the businnes and arrested the men and I tracked you down to the orphanage, they wouldn't let me have you. They thought I was lying, and I had no proof. So I was forced to let you go, your brother and I. It's haunted me for years, Therese, ten long years. Sad, isn't it, that the only way I am allowed to contact you is through death?

I love you, darling, I never wanted to hurt you. I give you what little love and support I can though these pictures and bills, and I pray that you will remember me with fondness now, instead of hatred. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Always yours,

Your devoted mother'

Therese was silent for a half an hour after Carol had presented the leather pouch's contents to her. The tears streaked down her face steadily and Carol's thumbs massaged circles into her back, trying to calm her.

"I'm terrible," Therese said finally. "Those things I said to him, it wasn't his fault."

"No darling, you're not terrible," Carol murmured, pressing a quick kiss to Therese's temple from behind her. "You're anything but. You didn't know, love."

"I wish I could apologize."

Carol's head tilted. She felt the scrap of paper in her coat pocket still and straightened her back.

"You can."

Carol held Therese's hand as she dialed the number on the paper. The phone rang for a few moments, Therese's grip tightening with every stall. And then, from the crackly end of the other line:

"Hello?"

Therese's hand squeezed tight. Carol squeezed back.

'I'm here. I love you. I'm here. You can do this.'

Therese swallowed and opened her mouth.

"Billy?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Notes on the Majestic Theatre: The Majestic Theatre is a real theatre house located at 245 West 44th street in New York City. It is currently home to the longest-running musical in Broadway history, 'The Phantom of the Opera.' The play 'Me and Juliet' was really staged there in 1953, but the set designer was named Jo Mielziner, NOT Therese Belevit. Also, the set is typically designed up to a year or even two before the actors even move into the theatre house for rehearsals, believe it or not! But for the story's sake, I decided that Therese should be there designing while the actors worked. If you hadn't noticed, theatre is a particular favorite of mine!

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